Is Tithing For Today?

WHAT IS TITHING?

 (Compare Genesis 14:20 with Hebrews 7:2) - 10 % of one's income

GOD INSTITUTES TITHING AS A FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE IN GENESIS (500 years BEFORE THE MOSAIC LAW)

Genesis 14:18-20                         Genesis 28:20-22

TITHING IS A REMINDER IN THE OT THAT GOD OWNS IT ALL........

Psalms 50:10,11  He doesn't need our money...He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, but He has so chosen to use our money to carry out His work on earth!

THE TITHE WE GIVE IS HOLY UNTO THE LORD...

Leviticus 27:30

TITHING REMINDS US THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US THE POWER AND ABILITY TO ACQUIRE WHAT WEALTH WE DO HAVE.....

Deuteronomy 8:17,18

TITHING TEACHES US TO FEAR THE LORD AND NOT FORGET HIS WORKERS.....

Deuteronomy 14:22,23, 27

WHEN WE TITHE OUR INCOME, IT HONORS THE LORD!

Proverbs 3:9,10

WHEN WE TITHE, IT OPENS THE DOOR FOR GOD'S BLESSINGS.....WHEN WE DON'T TITHE, WE'RE ROBBING FROM GOD AND WE ARE CURSED WITH GOD WITHHOLDING HIS BLESSINGS FROM US.

Malachi 3:7-11

              *Tithing is the one thing we're challenged to do in order to PROVE He is telling the Truth when He says He will bless us!

              *When we tithe, God opens Windows of heaven to bless us that there shall not be room enough to receive it! 

     *When we Tithe God rebukes the DEVOURER...(Divine Protection)

IS TITHING TO BE PRACTICED TODAY BY THE N.T. CHRISTIAN?

Abraham Commenced it (Genesis 14:18-20); Jacob Continued it (Genesis 28:20-22); Moses Confirmed it (Leviticus 27:30); Solomon and Malachi Commanded it (Proverbs 3:9,10; Malachi 3:7-11); Jesus Commended it (Matthew 23:23;Luke 11:42); God Commissioned it (1 Corinthians 9:14); Paul Conformed it (1 Corinthians 16:2; Hebrews 7:8)

Church Historians & Church Fathers, & famous preachers of past attest to fact that Tithing was accepted as New Testament teaching from the first century to now! 

Cyprian (200-258AD); Apostolic Constitution (300AD); Jerome (345-420AD); Ambrose (340-397AD); Augustine (354-430AD); Chrysostom (347-407AD); John Calvin (1509-1564AD); Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892); D.L. MOODY (1860-1899); BILLY SUNDAY (1862-1935); R.A.TORREY (1856-1928); H.A. IRONSIDE (1880-1951); M.R. DEHAAN (1890-1965); and today:  Billy Graham, Charles Stanley, David Jeremiah, Adrian Rogers, Chuck Swindoll....all believe and teach tithing is for today!

HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS PRACTICE TITHING?

Cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:6-8), not grudgingly, but because we love the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:14)

WHERE SHOULD THE CHRISTIAN PLACE HIS OR HER TITHE?

In the OT according to Malachi 3:10 the tithes were brought into the STOREHOUSE, which for the Jew, was the Temple at Jerusalem.  According to Acts 4:35,37 and Acts 5:2, the Christians brought their tithes and offerings to the Apostles' feet.  According to 1 Corinthians 16:1,2 the Christians at Corinth were to collect their tithes & offerings and bring them to their local church at Corinth, or 'lay by him in store' on the first day of the Week, Sunday.....

Today, the STOREHOUSE for your tithe is your LOCAL CHURCH. It is not God's plan for you to give your tithe wherever you decide.

WHY ARE WE TO PLACE OUR TITHE INTO OUR CHURCH?

1 Corinthians 9:13,14

Your tithes and offerings are for the support, upkeep, and ministry of your Church..  Tithes should never be designated----they are to be left for use as the Church body decides.

Offerings over and above the tithe can go to other deserving ministries but God says your tithe should go to your local church.  Doesn't God's plan make sense?  .....for if everyone gave their tithe to worthy ministries outside the local church, the local church would die........

WHO AM I REALLY GIVING MY TITHE TO WHEN I GIVE IT AT CHURCH?

Hebrews 7:8    To Jesus Christ, Who is still receiving our tithes today!

    We must get beyond the feeling we're giving it to the leaders at that particular local church......

WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER I GIVE MY TITHE & OFFERINGS?

Acts 20:35 - you will be blessed and happy with joy knowing you have obeyed the Lord....

Luke 6:38 - God will use other people to bless you financially....

YOU CANNOT OUT-GIVE THE LORD!!!

HOW CAN I PLEASE MY LORD WHEN TITHING?

1. Matthew 6:33 - Give the Lord first place in Everything....HE not only wants you tithe...but He wants YOU....

2. Proverbs 3:9,10 - Honor the Lord with Firstfruits (This means set aside the tithe FIRST....out of your gross income, before all other bills and expenses...if you leave the tithe until last, God usually misses out.

3. Bring the Tithe on the Lord's Day (1 Corinthians 16:2) and do it cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)

4. Give OFFERINGS over and above your tithe to the Lord and other needful ministries outside of your local Church if they are worthy.

5. Keep your giving secret....don't do it and boast to impress others (Matthew 6:1-4)

SUMMARY OF REASONS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD TITHE

1.  The tithe is the Lord's.....it is not ours!  Lev. 27:30

2. God commands us to tithe...to refuse is disobedience! (Mal.3:8-10)

3. Tithing is an act of Love toward our Lord! (John 14:21)  (If we love the Lord we will obey Him and keep His commandments)

4. Tithing recognizes God's Ownership of Everything!

5. Tithing helps me to grow in my Walk with Christ (Matt.6:33)  As I Tithe my Income, it helps me to trust God to meet my needs as He promises in His Word.  Tithing helps WORRY!

6. Tithing is Good business!   (Mal. 3:10)   If I invest 10% of my income and God promises to open up the windows of heaven to bless me more than I can even imagine....that makes good business sense!

7. Tithing helps my church carry out the great commission.  (Acts 1:8)  It takes money to buy tracts, SS material, Support missionaries, and to pay preachers, and buy radio time....etc.

8. A tithing church will not have to beg for money and have bake sales to meet its budget and pay its bills.

9. A church of tithers will have plenty of willing workers! (Matt. 6:21)  People who give their tithe to a church will have their heart there and will work to make sure it goes!

10. Tithing will keep us from the lust of money. (1 Timothy 6:9,10)  When we give that tithe check each week it does an amazing thing.....it delivers us from the love of money and the lust that comes with it.....and all the sorrows and heartaches that will follow.

WHO GETS THE TITHE?

My tithe is a tenth of all I possess; if if love my Lord, I should not give less.  I say I love you Lord, but is it true....when I would rob my tithe from you?

My bills I find I cannot meet, I guess that's because I am such a cheat.  I would not steal from my friend true, But, Lord, I would rather steal from You.

I'd like to tithe, but don't you see, Lord, I don't have that much faith in thee.  The Bible says abundant blessing we will see, if we would give our tithe to thee.

I see myself as just a fraud, because I have been robbing thee, my God.  Help me Lord that I might not be, daily stealing from Thy treasury.

Help me, my Lord, They will to seek, that I might lay in store the first of the Week, my tithes and offerings that I will be....a faithful servant to thee!

WHY THIS LESSON  WILL CAUSE PEOPLE TO BECOME ANGRY AND NEVER COME BACK TO THIS CHURCH AGAIN

1 Timothy 6:9,10

GREAT BIBLE TEACHERS OF TODAY WHO BELIEVE AND TEACHING TITHING IS FOR US TODAY

BILLY GRAHAM - WORLD RENOWN EVANGELIST

"The Bible teaches tithing.  A tithe is one tenth of your income.  That one-tenth of your income belongs to the Lord.  In Addition to your tithe, you should give as the Lord has prospered you."

 (Rules for Christian Living, pg 40)

APPENDIX

WHAT DID CHURCH FATHERS AND HISTORIANS OF THE PAST BELIEVE ABOUT TITHING?

WHAT ABOUT GREAT PREACHERS TODAY?

DAVID JEREMIAH - AUTHOR, PASTOR, RADIO BIBLE TEACHER

'DON'T YOU DARE SEND YOUR TITHE TO THIS RADIO BROADCAST....YOUR TITHE NEEDS TO GO TO YOUR LOCAL CHURCH......ANY OFFERING OVER AND BEYOND YOUR TITHE COULD COME TO A MINSTRY LIKE THIS, BUT YOUR TITHE GOES TO YOUR LOCAL CHURCH..."

(TURNING POINT RADIO BROADCAST)

CHARLES STANLEY - PASTOR AND TV BIBLE PREACHER

"TO TITHE IS TO GIVE 10 PERCENT OF OUR INCOME TO GOD FOR HIS WORK.....WHEN WE GIVE OUR TITHE TO GOD, WE PROVIDE FOR HIS WORK, PROVE HIS FAITHFULNESS, AND SHOW HIM HONOR IN ACKNOWLEDGING HIM AS THE SOURCE OF ALL WE POSSESS AND AS ONE WORTHY OF OUR WORSHIP...HOWEVER, MANY MAKE EXCUSES FOR NOT RETURNING THAT PORTION TO GOD. THEY FRET OVER THE ECONOMY AND JOB LOSS, FEAR OF INCREASED TAXES, AND GENERALLY ANTICIPATE THE WORSE.  THEY ALLOW THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES TO PREVENT THEM FROM GIVING, AND THEN THEY WONDER WHY THEIR CIRCUMSTANCE ISN'T ANY BETTER....FINALLY, WE SHOW OUR ARROGANCE TOWARD GOD (MAL. 3;15) IN BELIEVING THAT IT ISN'T NECESSARY TO OBEY HIM...."

(THE GLORIOUS JOURNEY, PG 504-506 by Charles Stanley)

ADRIAN ROGERS - PASTOR BELLEVUE BAPTIST CHURCH, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE AND SPEAKER ON LOVE WORTH FINDING TV & RADIO MINISTRIES

"GOD'S TITHE IS TO BE BROUGHT TO GOD'S HOUSE ON GOD'S DAY SO THAT GOD'S WORK WILL BE DONE GOD'S WAY..MEN AND WOMEN TODAY ROB GOD BY WITHHOLDING THEIR TITHES AND OFFERINGS...."

(FREEDOM FROM FINANCIAL WORRY, PG 10 & 16, Adrian Rogers)